6" x 9", 264 page trade paperback titled THEY ALSO FLEW: THE ENLISTED PILOT LEGACY 1912 - 1942 by Lee Arbon/ Smithsonian Institution, ISBN # 1-56098-837-1, Third printing, copyright 2003 / In 1912, when the United States opened an aviation school at the newly established Fort William McKinley in the Philippines, only one officer volunteered for pilot training. A corporal, recognizing his opportunity, stepped forward, becoming the first enlisted man in the history of United States military aviation to train as a pilot. Over the next thirty years, three thousand enlisted men would follow his lead. These men--mess cooks, mechanics, and civilian pilots among them--enabled the military to bring the number of pilots in its ranks up to combat strength. They Also Flew traces the history and achievements of enlisted pilots from their earliest days in flight through 1942. Regarded by the military as lacking the education or intelligence to fly, these "sergeant pilots" struggled to earn their wings in a military organization that traditionally reserved this position for commissioned officers. Lee Arbon details the contributions of these men to United States military aviation, recognizing the 17 "aces", the more than 155 men killed in action, and the 11 who were promoted to the rank of general. Presenting the recollections of fellow sergeant pilots as well as the author's own experiences in the cockpit, They Also Flew records the personal sagas of men determined to serve their country in the air. The book is complete and in GOOD - VERY GOOD condition with some overall wear. The lower right corner of the book is stubbed and some of the corners of the interior pages are bent. The upper right corner of the front cover has some wear. On the half-title page, the author has inscribed, "A Salute to Charles Dye - Keep Those Rotors Going. Lee Arbon."